Reviews are entertainment and self-expression. If they are academic, it is in the moot sense. It still comes down to there being no accounting for taste. I myself react according to whether I am in the right mood to receive a piece of art. I am especially willing to appreciate anything that has the safety wheels off and is not appearing to run for office. I can't break down whether the apparent directing was the work of the credited directors, but if it was then Seth Rogan and his usual writing partner did a good job directing The Interview. But it's mostly the cheeky script - or apparent script - that I found amusing. Any non to patriotism is with a wink and there are some blatant jabs at American media and values. Also noted is the Lord of the Rings as go-to geek- religion has supplanted references to Star Wars. Having seen the "special" made up of outtake interviews with additional celebrities by James Franco as Dave Skylark, I am surprised they settled on the Eminem variation but it does contain all of the thematic threads that pay off in the climactic titular interview in North Korea. The lack of subtlety may be part of the comment overall as the movie both represents "American" sensibilities and pokes them in the eyes. It incorporates Korean-flavoured music and pays homage to their bloody horror flicks, embracing each dime the story turns on. It's not America versus North Korea, and care has been taken to portray good versus evil as beyond cultures and countries, right down to the arrival of (SPOILER) Team (Spoiler) members who could at first glance be mistaken for the "enemy." I found the movie ultimately to me layered and ultimately positive, despite some collateral damage.
Review of The Interview
